Tag Archives: Chloe Kepros

How Med Students Redefine Ability and Success

Audio April 17, 2025 Dave Etler

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:07 — 114.8MB)

Real students, real barriers, and the daily fight to stay in the game.

Everyone knows med school is hard. For some, it’s even harder. Dave Etler hosts a raw conversation with med students M1 Emily Baniewicz, M3 Jeff Goddard, PA 1 Chloe Kepros, and M3 Madeline Ungs about the reality of navigating disability during medical training. With insights from Jenna Ladd, PhD, CCOM’s recently hired accessibility specialist, they dig into accommodations that range from extra time to simply having a chair. The group shares stories of advocating for themselves while trying to keep up in a system not designed with their bodies or brains in mind. They discuss how their chronic illnesses, anxiety, and invisible disabilities show up in pre-clinical courses and clinical clerkships, why getting help can feel like a confession, and why pushing for equity isn’t about advantage over others — it’s about access. Also, yes, someone did pass out during shadowing. And while some may say a disability means they don’t belong here, the fact is, medicine needs them.

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The Secret to Getting Better Health Care: Be Different

Audio January 23, 2025 Dave Etler

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:19 — 52.5MB)

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Do Patients Have to Perform to Be Taken Seriously in Medicine?

How does “respectability politics” play out in healthcare, and specifically, pain management? PA1 Chloe Kepros, M1 Zach Grissom, M1 Srishti Mathur and M3 Jeff Goddard unpack how patients often adjust their behavior and appearance to gain credibility in medical spaces. From the history of pain measurement to the biases in how pain is treated today, the cultural and social dynamics shaping the decisions healthcare providers make about their patients’ pain is more than an academic exercise. When patients feel they must dress up for doctor visits, use advanced terminology, or even give their pain scale number a little boost, just to be taken seriously, is that just society in action? Or is it a barrier to care? What does it mean to be truly seen in medical spaces? Plus, pre-med listener Violet asks about balancing vulnerability and professionalism during med school interviews.

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Physician Assistants Week 2024!

Audio October 3, 2024 Dave Etler

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:15 — 60.7MB)

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Sign up for the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Professional and Graduate School Virtual Conference!

Compared to MDs, the PA profession offers flexible employment and a (relatively) relaxed path to a healthcare career.

Dave teams up with PA2s Noah Vasquez, Olivia Quinby, and Anna Cole, and PA1 Chloe Kepros to celebrate PA Week 2024! The crew looks at the unique challenges and experiences of being a physician assistant student, like why they chose the profession, the contrasts between themselves and their MD-student colleagues, the value of diverse educational backgrounds, the clinical experiences they’ve gathered along the way, the lessons they’re learning watching people in other healthcare roles, and how their different pre-PA work experiences shape their perspectives and skills. Plus, without the additional hoops physicians must jump through (eg., their match process, residency education, and state licensing), PAs enjoy a flexibility of employment that’s unmatched in the MD world.

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MCAT Score Reveals, MMA or Family, and Never-ending Sacrifices

Audio September 19, 2024 Dave Etler

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:38 — 61.0MB)

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Are You The Asshole?

Dave is joined by co-hosts M1 Alec Marticoff, M1 Zach Grissom, PA1 Chloe Kepros, and M2 Holly Hemann. Together, they adjudicate several of reddit’s Am I The Asshole submissions. Why is discussing MCAT scores such treacherous ground? Is it an overreaction to get a second opinion? Are UFC/MMA fights sacrosanct? They also explore what it’s like to be involved in relationships with medical students (it ain’t easy), and the sacrifices each partner should be prepared to make. These stories of struggle and strife offer an inside look into what it’s like to be, date, and prepare for a life with a medical student. Share today’s episode with your partner!